Weekend soccer team news

All the weekend Premier League and FA Cup semi-final team news.

All the weekend Premier League and FA Cup semi-final team news.

Saturday
FA Cup semi-final
Liverpool v Everton

Goalkeeper Brad Jones is set to make his first start since December 2010, with Jose Reina and Alexander Doni suspended. Defenders Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson are pushing for starting places having both made their comebacks from injury in the midweek win at Blackburn.

Everton manager David Moyes is set to revert to his strongest line-up after resting a number of players on Easter Monday. Defender Leighton Baines, midfielder Tim Cahill and striker Nikica Jelavic are all set to return having been left out of the squad for the 4-0 win over Sunderland. On-loan Tottenham midfielder Steven Pienaar is cup-tied but Darron Gibson will return to the team.

READ MORE

Last season:No corresponding fixture.
Top scorers (all competitions):
Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 13; Nikica Jelavic (Everton) 22
Match odds:
H 6-4 A 19-10 D 21-10
Referee:
Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)

Premier League
Norwich (10) v Man City (2)

Norwich will still be without defender Zak Whitbread, who has missed the last two matches with a calf problem, but Kyle Naughton returns after being ineligible for Monday's shock victory at parent club Tottenham. Marc Tierney (groin) and Daniel Ayala (knee) were today ruled out for the rest of the season, but James Vaughan (hamstring) could have a reserve run-out next week.

Manchester City hope to have midfielder Yaya Toure available, with the Ivory Coast international facing a fitness test after missing the midweek win over West Brom with a knee injury. Controversial striker Mario Balotelli is again missing as he serves the second game of a three-match suspension.

Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:
Norwich L W L D W; Man City W D D L W
Top scorers:
Grant Holt (Norwich) 15; Sergio Aguero (Man City) 26
Match odds:
H 9-2 A 8-15 D 10-3
Referee:
Chris Foy (Merseyside)

Sunderland (11) v Wolves (20)
Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill is hoping for a significant fitness boost as central defender John O'Shea (calf) and strikers Nicklas Bendtner (back and hamstring) and Fraizer Campbell (knee), who all missed Monday's 4-0 defeat at Everton, could return. Full back Phil Bardsley (groin) and midfielder Lee Cattermole (knee) are doubts.

Wolves’ on-loan Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong will be unavailable through suspension after his red card against Arsenal. Christophe Berra is likely to deputise if he recovers from an ankle knock. Interim manager Terry Connor will assess the fitness of midfielder Dave Edwards (hamstring) before finalising his line-up.

Last season:Sunderland 1 Wolverhampton 3, Wolverhampton 3 Sunderland 2
Last five league matches:
Sunderland L W D D L; Wolverhampton L L L L L
Top scorers:
Sebastian Larsson & Stephane Sessegnon (Sunderland) 8; Steven Fletcher (Wolverhampton) 10
Match odds:
H 8-15 A 5-1 D 16-5
Referee:
Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)

Swansea (14) v Blackburn (19)
Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers could choose to make changes following the disappointing 3-0 midweek defeat at QPR. Left back Neil Taylor and winger Wayne Routledge were withdrawn at half-time at Loftus Road and their replacements Alan Tate and Nathan Dyer may be in line for starts against Rovers. Midfielder Kemy Agustien (ankle) is the Swans' only injury absentee.

Blackburn have doubts over defenders Bradley Orr (Achilles) and Martin Olsson (groin), but boss Steve Kean is optimistic both will be fit. Striker Anthony Modeste will definitely be available after seeing his three-match ban for a red card against West Brom reduced to one match, which he served during Tuesday’s defeat by Liverpool.

Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:
Swansea W L L L L; Blackburn W L L L L
Top scorers:
Danny Graham & Rory Donnelly (Swansea) 12; Ayegbeni Yakubu (Blackburn) 17
Match odds:
H 21-20 A 5-2 D 12-5
Referee:
Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)

West Brom (13) v QPR (16)
West Brom skipper Chris Brunt and left back Liam Ridgewell are both expected to be fit after minor knee problems, while strikers Marc-Antoine Fortune and Peter Odemwingie will come back into contention to start. Midfielders Zoltan Gera and James Morrison (both knee) and right back Steven Reid (foot) remain on the injury list.

Manager Mark Hughes has injury concerns over strikers Jamie Mackie, who scored in his side’s 3-0 win over Swansea in midweek, and Bobby Zamora. Djibril Cisse is also out, serving the final game of his four-match ban, but Shaun Derry will return in midfield having served his one-match suspension.

Last season:No corresponding fixture
Last five league matches:
West Brom D L L W L; QPR W L W L W
Top scorers:
Keith Andrews (West Brom) 11; Bobby Zamora & Heidar Helguson (QPR) 9
Match odds:
H 21-20 A 12-5 D 5-2
Referee:
Jon Moss (W Yorkshire)

Sunday
FA Cup semi-final
Tottenham v Chelsea

Tottenham go in to the semi-final with only two fully-fit central defenders. Younes Kaboul (knee) and Michael Dawson (ankle) are out, while Ledley King is a doubt with his chronic knee problem, leaving Ryan Nelsen and William Gallas as the only fit senior centre halves. Scott Parker is a doubt with a hamstring injury while long-term absentees Heurelho Gomes (knee) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle) are out.

Defenders John Terry (cracked ribs) and Ashley Cole (ankle) were today both passed fit, but Branislav Ivanovic begins a three-match ban after being found guilty of violent conduct while Ryan Bertrand (calf) and Oriol Romeu (illness) are set to miss out.

Last season:No corresponding fixture.
Top scorers (all competitions):
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) 16; Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 15
Match odds:
H 13-8 A 17-10 D 11-5
Referee:
Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

Premier League
Man Utd (1) v Aston Villa (15)

Alex Ferguson intends to recall Paul Scholes to his starting line-up after he was rested for Wednesday's defeat at Wigan. Ferguson reports no fresh injury concerns from the DW Stadium setback, which saw United's lead at the top cut to five points.

Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish will check on the fitness of Chris Herd (head) and Stephen Warnock (ankle), with Charles N’Zogbia and Gary Gardner in contention to replace the duo. Midfielder Fabian Delph has returned to training after his ankle injury suffered when on loan at Leeds, while winger Marc Albrighton is battling to overcome a thigh problem.

Last season:Man Utd 3 Aston Villa 1, Aston Villa 2 Man Utd 2
Last five league matches:
Man Utd W W W W L; Aston Villa W L L D D
Top scorers:
Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) 30; Darren Bent (Aston Villa) 10
Match odds:
H 1-6 A 9-1 D 5-1
Referee:
Mark Halsey (Lancashire)

Monday
Arsenal (3) v Wigan (17)

Full back Kieran Gibbs has a 50-50 chance of returning from a groin injury and Gervinho (ankle) is also likely to be back, while midfielders Abou Diaby and Francis Coquelin (both hamstring) are set to return to the squad next week for full training. Defenders Per Mertesacker (ankle) and Laurent Koscielny (suspended) miss out.

Striker Hugo Rodallega is Wigan’s only injury concern. Rodallega has not played for the Latics since March 11 due to a knee problem but is back in training and will be assessed before the trip to north London.

Last season:Arsenal 3 Wigan 0, Wigan 2 Arsenal 2
Last five league matches:
Arsenal W W L W W; Wigan D W W L W
Top scorers:
Robin van Persie (Arsenal) 34; Victor Moses, Franco Di Santo, Ben Watson & Jordi Gomez (Wigan) 4
Match odds:
H 2-9 A 17-2 D 4-1
Referee:
Andre Marriner (W Midlands)